


24601

by angelholme



Category: Les Misérables - Schönberg/Boublil
Genre: Poetry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-24
Updated: 2010-03-24
Packaged: 2017-10-08 07:05:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/73981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelholme/pseuds/angelholme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written eight years ago, as a present for someone (quite who I can't remember).</p>
            </blockquote>





	24601

24601

Valjean was a prisoner for a very long time,   
nineteen years served for a pretty petty crime,   
But now he is free and back on the street   
but he is having trouble finding his feet.

The world does not welcome your average ex-con   
the people who see him say he must move on   
He steals some silver from a priests place   
But is caught by the guards and then returned to face

The priest, who says 'take these candlesticks two   
For the lord your god loves you and I love you too"   
Valjean repents and swears to do right,   
then fakes his own death and goes in to the night.

Many yeas later in a whole other town,   
Valjean is mayor but Javert is around.   
(Javert was the warden of the prison in verse 1   
and has never forgotten prisoner 24601)

In the workhouse a woman (Fantine is her name)   
is sacked for fighting (she wasn't to blame).   
She has a daughter to look after though,   
so she goes "on the game" and feels really low.

One day she is caught by Javert in the park,   
She attacked a man and he chose to narc   
on her, but the mayor says she needs care,   
and takes her away in front of Javert.

But a runaway cart comes down the long road,   
It traps a towns person with its heavy load.   
Valjean pulls it off, causing Javert to cry out   
"You might be Valjean" but the truth does not out...

 

He says they have caught the prisoner Valjean,   
and he will be tried that day at 1.   
The real Valjean goes in to the court to   
confesses his name to the judge (like he aught to)

As Javert goes to arrest Jean Valejan   
Valjean talks to Fantine, and she says 'go on -   
take care of my child, she has no other"   
Valjean says he will, then dies the poor mother.

Cosette, the child of the late Ms Fantine,   
is with the Thenardies who are really mean.   
They treat her like dirt while spoiling their daughter   
Like sending her out in the dark to get water.

Valjean arrives to take Cosette away,   
but the Thenardies say first you must pay.   
He agrees and away they both go   
to make a new life (that's not the end though....)

The scene moves to Paris some ten years on,   
Life is now good for C and Valjean.   
But the underclass suffer and want to rebel,   
and for the Thenadies life is now hell.

Eponine and C are have both grown up fair   
though their positions are not what they were,   
Cosette is rich, but Ponine is quite poor,   
But they both have one thing in common once more.

Mariaus is a student, he quite likes Cosette.   
Ponine has been flirting with him, but yet   
he thinks she is a friend and that's all,   
which causes the poor girl's hopes to fall.

Then the news comes - La Marque is dead!   
"This is the sign" The rebel leader said.   
He sends out his troops to be ready to fight   
But Mariaus sneeks out later that night.

He visits Cosette as Ponine looks on,   
the two lovers talk but then Jean Valjean   
thinks Javert has found him and makes plans to go   
a long way away, though Cosette does not know

Why he hides and she wants to stay,   
but he says we'll wait one more day.   
There's much music and signing galore,   
as the first act ends with the song "One Day More"

Now there is an interval of half an hour.   
Please feel free to get a drink from the bar.   
And talk and chat, even visit the loo.   
But be back in your seats before the interval is through...

The second act starts on the Rue de Vilette.   
The barricades are up but no fighting yet.   
Ponine joins the troops, Mariaus sends her away -   
to go to Cosette with a note (no delay!)

She takes the note but is stopped on the way,   
by Valjean who reads what Mariaus does say.   
Ponine - she goes off, through the streets she does roam,   
(and on the way back sings the song "On My Own").

As she gets to the barricades but one shot rings out.   
She stumbles on, but there can be no doubt   
that she has been hit and thus Ponine dies,   
seeing Mariaus (her love) as she closes her eyes.

The battle begins and Valjean doth arrive   
To fight with the rebels, to see Mariaus survive.   
But Javert's caught too, Valjean says "Let me   
Deal with him" and then sets Javert free.

But far too soon comes the end of the fight   
The rebels are crushed by dawn's early light.   
Valjean takes Mariaus away from the wreck   
For the love of his daughter he saves the guys neck.

As Paris recovers from the bloody rebellion,   
Valjean is tracked down by Javert (the hellion!)   
The warden gives in and lets the con go,   
but then he faces the truth he now knows -

Valjean has turned Javert's life on its head.   
By all rights Javert should be dead.   
He can not live with the mercy JV shows   
so instead himself into the river he throws.

Valjean confesses to Mariaus the truth -   
he is an ex con and now must stand aloof.   
He leaves the couple on their wedding day   
and promises that he will stay far away.

But then on Cosette's and M's wedding night   
The Thenardies come back to reclaim their right -   
They tell Mariaus "Cosette's father's a con.   
Pay us some money and we will move on"

The young man now knows who saved his life   
It was the father of his lovely wife.   
He takes Cosette and goes to J's side   
to thank him for his life, his freedom and his bride.

As the play ends Valjean passes on,   
knowing the good in his life he has done.   
The music rises to a deafening roar   
and the audience go home, cause there is nothing more.  



End file.
